[Troubles felt in the central surgery suite of an hospital in Marseilles: what relevant factor?].
OBJECTIVE
In August 2005, a series of complaints, with a strong media coverage, occurred among the staff of the surgery suite of an hospital in Marseilles during a maintenance work period. A study realized during this period of time concluded that the complaints were due to a collective phenomenon provoked by a << self-amplified >> acute discomfort among the staff. No triggering mechanism was identified till then. In order to found a relevant factor that could explain the complaints, we performed a retrospective investigation some time after the events with the aim of reducing the auto-suggestive phenomenon.


METHODS
Six months after the events, a questionnaire was submitted to each person of the 109 medical and paramedic staff working at central surgery suite during the maintenance work period. Subjects were asked about age, gender, disorder description, medical history, work place and work conditions during the event period.


RESULTS
The study counted 98 persons with 31 physicians and 67 paramedic staff having replied to the questionnaire. Sixty-nine persons (70,4%) plead showing up symptoms. Multifactorial analysis found that female gender (OR=4,21; IC=1,23-14,38) and perception of particular odours (OR=8,81: IC=2,52-30,78) increased the probability of the occurrence of symptoms. A significant increase (p=0,03) of felt disorders was evidenced among the staff working in the sanitizing room. Disorders were less frequent for persons working in the operating room (p=0,04) and were strongly decreased for smokers (OR=0,25; IC=0,07-0,89). No complaint was recorded six months after the events.


CONCLUSIONS
Considering the work places and conditions, peracetic acid appears as the most plausible etiologic agent of the reported disorders. As a consequence, hospitals, especially during maintenance work periods, must be sensitized to the involvement of the occupational physician in order to avoid the social and financial cost of such crisis.
Kacel
Myriam
M
Service de Médecine du Travail, CHRU Marseille, France.
Sierra
Adeline
A
Dreyfus
Elsa
E
Giorgi
Roch
R
François
Nicole
N
Catani
Jacques
J
Lehucher-Michel
Marie-Pascale
MP
D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000592:standards*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires